37 8 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
PRIZE LETTER COMPETITION. 
Readers are invited to contribute to this 
column short letters, discussing any 
gardening subject. 
Letters should not exceed 150 words 
each in length, and must be written 
on one side of the paper only. 
Two Prizes of 2 s. 6 d. each will be 
awarded each week for the two Letters 
which the Editor considers to be the 
best. 
Eucalyptus. 
This greenhouse evergreen tree is very 
suitable for room decoration and is easily 
managed. . Eucalyptus globulus, from 
which Eucalyptus oil is extracted, will be 
found the best species to grow. The com¬ 
post should consist of two parts fibrous 
loam and -one part leaf soil and sand. 
Water should be given moderately during 
the winter, but they will require a great 
deal in summer. They can be propagated 
by seeds sown in February or March and 
potted off as they require it. Eucalyptus 
citriodora is also a good species for pot 
culture. It has a pleasant perfume. 
Careful treatment will be rewarded in the 
cultivation of these useful plants for home 
decoration. 
A. R. G. 
Welbeck Gardens, 
Notts.. 
Fruit for Preserving. 
When this is the object in view, it is 
better to allow the fruit to fully mature 
upon the trees or bushes, but never left 
any longer lest in any way the freshness 
of flavour peculiar to each kind be lost. 
It should be taken just when at its best, 
and if possible when the weather is dry 
and the fruit tree free from any moisture. 
Raspberries, for this purpose, should be 
put in hand as soon as gathered, for this 
fruit will otherwise rapidly lose its 
flavour. As soon as all the fruit has been 
gathered, any that was hitherto protected 
from the birds should have the nets re¬ 
moved, the latter being put away in the 
dry until again required for use. It is 
better to hang the nets up than to allow 
them to lie about, with the risk of being 
torn or injured. 
D. S. 
Putney. 
May Frosts of Recent Years. 
Month number five has arrived, and 
along with it that “bugbear” of all gar¬ 
deners, amateur and professional alike— 
May frosts. The following record will be 
interesting, and may be indicative in a 
small measure of what we may expect. 
May, 1903, saw the mercury only on one 
occasion descend to the freezing point, 
that being on the 13th. The May of 1904 
was less fortunate, on five different occa¬ 
sions the freezing point being reached or 
exceeded. Curiously enough, the three 
succeeding Mays saw frost on three dif¬ 
ferent nights each, the lowest temperature 
being on the 23rd, 1905, when 3 degs. was 
registered in this particular locality. 
The prudent gardener will read the 
thermometer assiduously in the evening, 
and have protecting material in readiness 
until after the 25th, when all danger of 
frost, broadly speaking, is generally over. 
T. H, 
Harrow Weald. 
Gloxinias from Leaves. 
It sometimes happens one gets in pos¬ 
session of a good Gloxinia and would like 
to propagate from the leaf. Propagation 
of the Gloxinia can be successfully car¬ 
ried out from June till September. Pro¬ 
ceed as follows : — Select healthy leaves 
with about an inch of stem, and insert 
as ordinary cuttings round the sides of a 
4-inch pot, well drained and filled with 
light, sandy soil. Water in through a rose 
watering can and place in a propagator, 
or failing that, plunge the pots in cocoanut 
fibre inside of a box deep enough to allow 
some squares of glass to be laid on. Place 
the box in a brisk, moist heat. Tubers 
will form at the base of the leaves, and 
when this has occurred treat in the same 
manner as if seedlings. The tubers will 
flower the following season. 
W. Edgeworth. 
The Violet Bed. 
The present is a suitable time for re¬ 
planting the Violet bed. This should be 
done in no half-hearted or timorous man¬ 
ner, but the whole of the plants should 
be dug up and all the soil well shaken 
from them, selecting during the operation 
some of the very strongest and best rooted 
runners for the future plants. These 
should be kept moist and planted without 
delay, in a fresh place if possible, a foot 
apart each way, planting firmly and tak¬ 
ing care, however, not to bury the crown 
too deeply. Should it be necessary to 
grow them again in the same place a good 
dressing of old leaf mould or hotbed 
manure should be well dug into the 
ground, which should then be trodden 
over before planting. Treated thus Vio¬ 
lets will do well for several years in the 
same position. 
F. A. 
An Effective Bed. 
Repetition of colour and arrangement 
in the planting of beds year after year 
becomes monotonous. Changes are de¬ 
sirable and welcome; so perhaps the fol¬ 
lowing hint may prove acceptable to 
readers. Gladiolus brenchleyensis and 
Hyacinthus candicans planted alternately 
in medium-sized beds, or grouped in 
threes and fives in large beds, make one 
of the most telling and pleasing contrasts 
it is possible to imagine. The tall spikes 
of the . white, bell-shaped'flowers of the 
latter stand well up, giving a pleasing 
relief to the dazzling brilliance of the 
former. This two-fold association of 
bulbous plants is seldom seen, but when 
it is, the effect is so striking as not to be 
easily forgotten. Some may have already 
planted these bulbs, but a few extra ones 
now bought will abundantly repay. 
C. T. 
Highgate, N. 
June 6, 1908. 
How to Make a Cheap and Effects 
Insecticide. 
Boil together 2 gallons of soft water al 
2 lbs. of soft soap. When well boill 
add 1 gill of paraffin oil, and boil u 
minutes longer. Keep stirring the m- 
ture after the oil is added, or it will bl 
over. If this is bottled when cool it \vl 
keep for years. 
Use 1 gill to 2 gallons of water r 
syringing or sponging. This will e 
found to be deadly to greenfly, bu., 
scale, etc. 
G. C., Yorks 
Climbing Plants. 
Many climbing greenhouse plan, 
either in pots or planted out, can e 
struck easily and quickly now under gl.s 
and grown on to plant outside at beddg 
out time. The Maurandyas, with pur];, 
pink, or white flowers, Eccremocaris 
scaber, orange, Plumbago, delice 
French lavender, and hosts of other 11- 
der things, cost nothing but the trou.e 
of striking if already grown (and if it. 
small plants can be. purchased for a w 
pence), and they add considerably to le 
“exclusiveness” as it_were of the “Ti¬ 
ding out ” arrangements, and are usul 
in many ways for summer adornments 
D. V. I 
iVlutisia cJecui-i-ens. 
This beautiful composite is not so ca- 
monly known as it deserves to be, a a 
climbing plant for the greenhouse or 
even out of doors against a wall if T 1 
established. 
„They can be successfully raised f m 
cuttings taken in April, using a g)d 
general compost of loam, leaf mould, id 
silver sand or broken bricks to fighteiit. 
Place the cuttings firmly down the sidof 
the pots, and stand them near the g ss 
in a warm greenhouse ; water very ligi w 
They grow to a height of 6 or 8 ut. 
Stop frequently to produce laterals, he 
flowers are produced singly, from he 
axils of the leaves, measuring 4 inchfin 
diameter, and are of a deep orange col ir. 
Geo. Stuar 
Edinburgh. 
-- 
Lily of the Valley Fruiting. 
We thought it was a common occurrice 
for Lily of the Valley to produce ed 
berries during the summer mons. 
Lately, however, it has come to our k>w- 
ledge that many have never seen his 
common plant in fruit. V e suspect iat 
those who have not seen the red beies 
of this plant have to thank their wn 
hands for cutting the flowers. hi? 
opinion is confirmed by a correspoiunt 
in “ The American Botanist,” who cid 
never seen the berries till last year A 
bed of the plant was lifted and replated 
in a sunny position in 1906. Durimthe 
summer of 1907 this correspondent'- 1 ' 
away from home, and in October nub 
every plant produced a cluster of bght 
red fruits. The situation had giverthe 
•plants an opportunity to make >od 
growth and bloom well. The absem e 
the owner enabled them to producejuut 
ripen their berries. The explanatii ]= 
significant. The scarlet berries rental in 
ornamental condition for a longer pf 10 
than the flowers. 
